Project Natal FAQ

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Catch up with all of the details on Microsoft's 3D camera.

By Erik Brudvig

Perhaps you've heard of Microsoft's next big thing for Xbox 360, Project Natal. This little peripheral is the company's answer to Wii's motion controllers that have brought gaming to a whole new audience. Natal was first announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo earlier this year. Since then, the information has been trickling out of all corners, from loose-lipped execs to third-party developers. To get everyone up to date, we've compiled this set of frequently asked questions and the answers we have so far. There's still so much more to learn, but if you're looking for a little clarification, this is the place to start.

What is Project Natal? Project Natal is Microsoft's 3D camera for Xbox 360. It tracks people's motions in three dimensions and has a microphone capable of voice recognition. It is to be used as a controller-free method of playing video games, tracking the player's body movements and voice and transferring that information directly to the gaming console.

Microsoft has described the codename as having several sources. "The name "Project Natal" has several sources. Microsoft Corp. traditionally uses cities as code names. As a result, Alex Kipman, who incubated the project and is from Brazil, chose Natal, a city along the northeastern coast of Brazil, as a tribute to his country. In addition, he knew that Natal also means "to be born" in Latin. Given the new audiences "Project Natal" will bring to Xbox 360, this felt right."

Milo, a Natal game from the makers of Fable.

When is it coming? No official release date has been offered by Microsoft. That said, you can expect it to release in the latter half of 2010. The CEO of THQ, a third-party videogame publisher and developer, mentioned this release window during a financial call earlier this year. IGN has had this expected release period confirmed by developers off of the record as well.

How does it work? Project Natal uses an RGB camera, an infrared projector and a monochrome CMOS sensor. The RGB camera tracks basic colors and enables features such as Natal's ability to recognize faces. The infrared and CMOS sensors work in tandem to create a 3D image of the room. Microsoft claims that it is this combination of several sensory arrays that allow Natal to work in any light condition.

This data is then combined with proprietary algorithms to map a wire-frame skeleton of the player in real-time. It is this extra layer of processing that allows Natal to continue working even if something wanders between the player and the camera. This wire-frame system also allows Natal to recognize four players at once without getting overlapping limbs confused.

In addition to its visual sensors, Natal has a multiarray microphone that can "locate voices by sound and extract ambient noise." This will allow for individual voice recognition and headset-free chatting in online games.

IGN plays Natal and Erik offers his impressions.

How much will Natal cost? No specifics on pricing have been hinted at by Microsoft.

Will Natal work with a PC? As of today, Microsoft has only presented Natal as an Xbox 360 peripheral. However, there is reason to believe that it will also be usable on your PC at some point. Bill Gates has been quoted as saying that the Windows group has "latched onto" Natal's technology and is eyeing it for use in home entertainment and office applications.

Given the support for Windows PC that Microsoft has offered to Xbox 360 peripherals in the past -- both the Xbox 360 controller and Vision Camera work with Windows -- it seems likely Natal drivers will be released at some point.

How is this different from Nintendo's Wii remote or Sony's upcoming motion controller? Natal is the only motion controller that doesn't actually use a controller at all. Read IGN's recent Grudge Match for a full rundown of the differences.

Does Natal replace the XBL Vision Camera? Though Microsoft has not explicitly stated that Natal replaces the Vision Camera, that peripheral has already seen its support all but disappear.